1. FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to spinning reels for fishing, and more particularly to a spinning reel comprising a reel body, a spool rotatably and axially movably supported on a spool shaft, and drag brakes for applying a braking force to rotation of the spool shaft.
2. DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
This type of spinning reel is described in Japanese Utility Model Publication Kodai No. 61-197872, for example. This spinning reel comprises a reel body having a spool shaft and housing a retainer sleeve for holding drag brakes in a rear portion thereof. A clutch sleeve is relatively unrotatably supported on the spool shaft forwardly of the retainer sleeve. One of the retainer sleeve and clutch sleeve is movable relative to the other. The movable sleeve is urged for engagement with the other sleeve by a spring, so that the drag brakes apply a braking force to the spool shaft. The braking force of the drag brakes is nullified by separating the movable sleeve from the other sleeve against the urging force of the spring, thereby placing the spool shaft in a freely rotatable state.
With the above spinning reel, particularly where the retainer sleeve is movable, a clutch lever for moving the retainer sleeve is very heavy to operate when the braking force is applied by the drag brakes. Where the clutch sleeve is movable, the following problem arises. The clutch sleeve is relatively unrotatably mounted on the spool shaft, and the spring for urging the clutch sleeve toward the retainer sleeve is provided between the clutch sleeve and reel body. Consequently, when the clutch sleeve is moved out of engagement with the retainer sleeve to render the spool shaft freely rotatable, the spring constantly applies a resistance through the clutch sleeve to the spool shaft. This is obstructive to free rotation of the spool supported on the spool shaft.